Summary: A reader purchased a synthetic stucco (EIFS) home and now has detected a bubble on the exterior of the home. Buyers should be cautious if purchasing homes with a synthetic stucco exterior. A home inspector with experience in synthetic stucco should always give the home a thorough inspection.
Q: I'm attending school to become a home inspector. On a practice inspection of my own home, I found a bubble in the exterior wall near the ground. My own home inspector missed it.
I live in a home clad with synthetic stucco. Would this be the sign of a problem? After reading so much on EIFS sites, how can anyone even recommend buying a home with this stuff on it?
Have I got some questions for my home inspection inspector or what?
A: The bubble in the exterior wall may indeed be a sign of water that has found a way into the wall system of the house. You should find a home inspector who specializes in EIFS construction and have him or her come and do a moisture reading on your house.
If you buy a home with synthetic stucco, you should certainly have an inspector with plenty of experience in EIFS housing do the inspection. Most professional home inspectors have no idea what to look for or how to test moisture infiltration in these types of homes.
As for recommending these homes, I think they're much more trouble than they're worth -- you should have your EIFS-clad house inspected once every six months to make sure there is no moisture coming into the home.
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Comments
Brad says
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